The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-07-28
Washington Letter.

WAsHINGTON, ID. T. July %, 1887.
/ Washington has many peculiarities
perhaps more. in fact, than any 9th.
er city in the United States, and to a
sojoarner within its beautiful borders,
one of the most noticeable of these is
its attraction for cranks and criminals
particularly the former class, yet am
not sure but the terms are convertible
at least. they often are, as in the case
of Guiteau, and of Krebs, who was but
lately contiued for threatening to way
lay President Cleveland at the church
where he worships aud blow hi-
head off with shotgun" and still
later, the horrible assassination OF
only last week, when one DAILY,
watching q favorable opportunity,
stole up behind Mr., Kennedy, one of
the most estimable and venerable cit.
,z MS of the Capital, aud stabbed his
life out, on q crowded street, without
any provOcation other than an inag.
mary grievance. Daily declares that
he was driven to it" because, Having
been for quite while confined in a
lunatic asylum. they concluded he was
Stimulating insanity and discharged
him as hal. .,iless meier do well. Now
why is Washington City the Mecca
had almost written Paradise-of
cranks and Missionaries? One great
reason is that the Republicans, through
their devotion to the lavish appropri.
atiOns for pensions, and their pet
scheme of public education at Govern
ment expense, as shown by the Blaine
bill, have inculcated the idea that our
is sort of paternal Government that
is in duty bound to provide for the
wants of the INDECENT and distressed
for instance, the would be. assassin
Krebs, claimed that the United States
owed him several million dollars,
which PresIdentCleveland was wrong.
fully Withholding. Another reason is
that the criminal laws of the District
of Columbia seem designed and exc
cuted for the benefit rather than the
punishmento of ffenders, for, although
murders are frequt Mt, hanging is rare
thing, and minor crimes. such as com
mon assault and petit larceny, arein
adequately punished by generally i'm
posing the lightest penalties, there
being entirely too much personal
recognizsnce" in such cases. And for
this responsibility the Republicans
are also wholly chargeable, as the
District form of government is theirs.
From the statement published in
the servile Washington press, Que
would infer that the resignation of the
chief clerk of the Patent Office, was
voluntary, but know that it was per-
empt0rily called for, because Lf his
close connection with the Bacon short
age. Under the laws of the United
States it is made the duty of the chief
clerk to inspect and certify monthly
to the cOrrectn ess of the accounts of
the financial clerk, aud this was done
regularly for four years by the late
chief clerk (who by the way is another
one of those indispensable Republicans
Of whom we often hesr), during the
whole of which period, Bacon was a
defanlter. And if the chief clerk did
not know 1t he was grossly negligent
OF his duty, to say the least of it. 1
think 1 can predict with safety other
startling revelations. and that other
heads will fall in the bask et-that is if
they are fortunate enough to eacape a
worse fate. 1t il certain that there are
still great many Republican rascals
in Office who should accompany Har
vey, the treasL Lry forger, who has just
been given twelve years hard labor in
the ALBANY penitentiarv
On May 23d last, when a new Treas
urer of the United States was appoint
ed, count of the each and securities
was begun aud is still progressing, but
will probably be completed by the end
of this week, as only the gold coin,
amounting to about $25, 200, 600 is vet
uncounted. The funds on hand
amounted to SIS 900 900, and so far as
can be learned not a single cent is
missing.
The investigation of the accounts of
the disbursing officers of the Treasury
which begun last week, is still going
on, and perhaps will be finished by
the first of next week. The different
Assistant Treasurers of the United
States have been instructed to show
the state of such accounts at the close
of business July 18th, 1887, and it is |
evident that if there is any crooked
ness it will be speedily and mercilessly
uncovered.
1t is believed by many that the
Treasury offers finer and larger field
for fraud and forgery than any other
Department, on account of its vast and
varied financial transactions, and re-
cent developments tend to prove the
opinion correct. I greatly doubt
whether it is possible to discover all /,
such Irregularities.
The Interstate Commissioners are
busy hearing all kinds of cases, and
the general opinion, outside of railroad
circles, seems to be that this measure
is one of the very best and far reach. i
ing ever passed by Congress, and its =
beneficial results can be felt and seen
on every hand. !,